Lend us your ears (2 July 2005)

One day after his inauguration as chief executive in Beijing, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen gave a stirring speech about his mission to lead Hong Kong to a better tomorrow. In it, he quoted a famous line from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.

It was noticeable that Mr Tsang left out the second part of that quotation from the heroic, but doomed, Brutus, who goes on to say: Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and miseries.

Hong Kong's new leader has every right to take an optimistic view of the future. With the wind of a resurgent economy in his sails and a post-handover record approval rating of 72.3 per cent, he is well placed to lead us towards rising prosperity and greater fortune.

As captain of our collective destiny, however, it is essential that Mr Tsang seeks the wisest of counsel before plotting the fine details of the way forward. If he fails to do so, he could find himself heading rapidly towards the rocks.

Over the past eight years, the government has repeatedly failed to consult legislators and government-friendly political parties over policies before finalising proposals, and this failure has led to friction and ill will.

When drafting legislation for a comprehensive indoor smoking ban and for an increase in the penalty for jumping traffic lights, for instance, the policy secretaries involved could have saved themselves uncomfortable moments by consulting first with political allies.

Legislators and political parties need to be engaged at the beginning of the policy-making process, not at the end. Political parties are the representatives of the people, and their legislators are directly elected by the people. They know what the people think, and they can keep the government closely in touch with public opinion.

Consensus will turn policy-making into a smoother process - better for the administration, for the legislature and for the people.

Of course, there is no leader in the world who does not bring his own advisers and political colleagues when he assumes office, and Mr Tsang will be no exception. The important thing is that he retains a balance. He must be prepared to consider dissenting voices as well.

The Executive Council, Mr Tsang's inner circle, should consist of elected representatives from government-friendly parties. They would be immensely helpful in ensuring the passage of government policies in the Legislative Council.

The social elite who served on Excos in the past are better suited for the Commission on Strategic Development, where they could share the benefit of their experience.

Mr Tsang told legislators this week that he would concentrate on economic development and livelihood issues. This is a decision we in the Liberal Party applaud. The city needs careful nurturing of its economic fundamentals.

Our future prosperity may well depend on the administration's ability to fuel economic development and job creation. If Mr Tsang succeeds in this, he stands an excellent chance of being re-elected for a further five years in 2007.

Our new chief executive has taken up office at a time when the tide of public opinion and economic good fortune is going his way. He has a golden opportunity to steer Hong Kong towards the success that its people deserve.

Whether Mr Tsang sinks or swims will depend, to a large extent, on his willingness to listen and consult over the major policy decisions ahead. To adapt another quote from that Shakespeare play, my friendly advice to Mr Tsang would be: Chief executive, lend us your ears.